List of spells
This is a partial list of magical spells devised by Sorreters, sorcerers, and witches over the years: Anti-spell "Anti-" is a prefix applied to various other spells, to describe a spell which blocks the successful execution of those other spells. However, it is possible to break through anti-spells, though it is highly difficult to do this without leaving a trace of having done so (as is the case with most spells). (Original year of development varies by specific spell being negated, though the first anti-spell was created in 432, by Rasche.) Autoscry A form of scrying in which a spell device has been specifically enchanted to scry (typically audio-only, though visual autoscrying is just as possible) for something specific. If the object being scried for is a found, someone responsible for the spell will automatically be alerted to the discovery. This was first done in 436, by Rasche, as a way of enforcing the ban against Surreal. Various other uses have been found over the years, such as to enforce the law of Prohibition of Off-world Technology. Bittrickle A spell which attaches itself to the signals of a large number of long-distance spells (such as t-mail) being cast around the world, allowing specific spells to hide themselves from detection or tracing. First developed by Mordechai T'Magus in 905. Chakra gauge A spell which allows the caster to measure the levels of chakra within an individual, thereby determining their potential as a Sorreter. First developed in 878 by Durell. Conjuration (1) A combination spell first used in 275 by Murray, which combines divination and summoning, in order to compel a creature at some distant point to come to the caster. (The term was later redefined, and the original sense is now usually only used in slang.) (2) A combination spell first used in 766 by Cazzul, which combines divining for a particular object with translocation of that object. The term "conjuration," used in this sense, technically refers to translocation type 1. Cylinder of invisibility A spell which a caster uses to raise an energy field around himself, or someone else, or a group of people or objects. This field renders everyone and everything inside invisible to outside observers; all they would see is whatever is behind the cylinder. It also renders the occupants inaudible and intangible (or technically, any objects outside the field become intangible to everything within the field). Anyone passing through the field may occupy the same space as the cylinder's occupants without any awareness of it, though occupants themselves may find this phenomenon disturbing. The field can however be penetrated by magic. e.g., t-mail calls could be sent from or received within the cylinder; scrying or divining spells could locate a cylinder's occupants (unless anti-scrying spells are also in effect); etc. This spell was first used successfully in 859 by Coman. Divination A spell that allows one to determine the location of a person or object. This was one of the earliest spells learned by Sorreters, in 271 (taught by spirits). It is important to note that the more specific the object of divination, the more complicated the spell. For example, if you wanted to divine for striders in general, it would be a much simpler matter than divining for a specific strider; to do that would require a sample of genetic material. (The same is true of any animal or person.) Enchantment See spell devices (Original year of development varies by specific device, though the first enchantment spell was created in 399, by Judy). Fireball A spell which allows the caster to create a fireball which hovers just above his or her hand, without burning them. This was first used as a type of illumination in 272 (taught by spirits). At some point in the years thereafter a way was found to propel fireballs for use as weapons; however, it is not recorded when or by whom this was first done. Flying See spell devices. Force field First used in 333, by Iris, this spell allows the caster to attract energy which exists within everything, from rocks to plants to the caster's own body, even thin air, and direct that energy into a relatively solid form. The initial use for this spell was to create a translucent wall in front of the caster (or behind, beside, even completely surrounding the caster). This force field could be used as a shield against physical or magical attacks. However, in the ensuing centuries, many other uses would be found for force fields. Glamour Typically this is a spell cast to temporarily alter the appearance of a person or thing. It was first done in 430 by Rasche. With time and skill, a glamour may be cast which drastically alters a person's appearance, but it is complex, requiring constructed facial details which are realistic. A quicker and simpler glamour may be cast which, rather than giving a completely new appearance, merely distorts a person's features slightly, so that they may be recognized if their face is scrutinized closely (or sometimes if seen from a distance), but if one's not specifically trying to see through a glamour, the face they're looking at will likely go unrecognized, especially if they aren't particularly familiar with that person's face, to begin with. Sometime around 900, glamours were created in the form of enchanted masks which could be worn by non-magic users, though the developer of this spell device is unknown, and such masks remain quite rare. Healing acceleration First used in 302 by Taro, this is a spell that speeds up the body's natural healing processes, to recover more quickly from wounds or illnesses. However, such spells should not be cast on broken bones or anything which has been dislocated, until they've been set by a physician, lest the accelerated healing should cause things to heal the wrong way. Illumination A simple spell that provides artificial light, either blanketing a particular area, or in a beam pointing in a particular direction. There are bubbles which anyone can use to produce these effects, though magic-users don't necessarily require a device to cast an illumination spell. This spell was first used in 272 (taught by spirits) in several forms (including fireballs); flash bubbles were first used in 405. Intangibility A spell first used in 787 by Nyza, it uses a force field to render any objects which touch the field intangible, allowing such objects to pass through the caster (or the caster to pass through solid objects, which often leads to the false impression than the caster him or herself has become intangible). However, this spell did not truly become practical until Coman developed the variable gravitational field spell in 839. Lock spell Not to be confused with an enchanted lock & key, lock spells were first developed in 438. Unlike the more intricate aforementioned spell device, lock spells simply surround a standard lock with a force field (such locks are not considered enchanted, because the magic is not directly incorporated into the lock itself, and also because the spell is temporary). There are also instances of surrounding a larger object, such as a coin box or a door, with a force field, rather than simply protecting the lock itself. It is generally considered inaccurate to call such force fields "lock spells," though it is accepted up to a certain point; it absolutely would not be accepted to call a force field cast over something as large as a wagon or a building, a lock spell. In some cases, a lock which has been protected by a force field may be harder to break into than an enchanted lock, because the lower complexity of the spell allows for a stronger concentration of magic in the force field, thus requiring stronger magic to break it. However, in other cases it may be simpler to break, because while it requires more mana, it also requires less skill. In spite of the differences between this spell and truly enchanted locks, both forms of magic are often referred to simply as "lock spells," and attempts to break either kind of spell may likewise be called lock-pick spells. Magic dampening field A spell which blankets a given area, making it virtually impossible to use magic within the affected area, or for outside spells such as divination or scrying to penetrate the area. First used in 437 by Rasche. Magic-tracing A spell first used in 290, which involves a variation on divination, to locate the use of magic rather than something more tangible. Over the centuries it would be further refined, for various purposes, such as determining where someone translocated to, if you knew the precise coordinates of where they translocated from. However, whatever type of magic is being traced, such tracing can be blocked by the right kind of anti-spell. Micro-kinesis A spell first used in 543 by Mor. In a vague, unrefined sense, Sorreters had been using micro-kinesis since the earliest days of the study of magic. That is in essence what the manipulation of one's own internal chakra to form mana compounds was, though it wasn't truly understood as such, and in actual practice worked more on a macro than micro level. Mor created his micro-kinesis spell in order to facilitate the engineering of mythical creatures, which spirits informed him would have to be done by manipulating DNA. This was, of course, entirely beyond the means of science on the Land, and so would have to be done magically. Mor realized this would require spells of a physiological nature, and so was inspired by the work of Taro, whose own medical spells, created over two centuries earlier, were the most refined type of chakra and mana manipulation to date. They worked on a smaller scale than other spells, and had a microscopic effect, even if Taro himself hadn't fully understood the true nature of the spells he had created. Before Mor could develop micro-kinesis, he first had to develop a method of seeing what he would be manipulating, which led to the prerequisite development of "micro-scrying." Micro-kinesis also directly related the movements of his hands to the magnification scale presented by the micro-scry, so that movements on a macroscopic level could actually produce an effect on a microscopic level. This was a highly complex procedure which involved a new use of force fields, in a way that would later be at least a partial inspiration for the development of "translocation." Micro-scrying A spell first used in 543 by Mor. This spell involved enchanting eyeglasses to serve as a medium for scrying, which would allow the wearer to consciously control the magnification of a given object he was looking at, so that he could see things far too small to see with the naked eye. These glasses also allowed the wearer to consciously control the precise coordinates of what he was looking at, which meant that he could see, for example, within a living body, without cutting that body open. It was also necessary because what might seem a slight movement of the head on a macroscopic level would of course dramatically shift the perspective on a microscopic level. But the micro-scrying spell made head movements relative to the level of magnification, to negate this problem. Scrying A spell that allows one to to see and/or hear a remote location. Some have theorized this spell might be altered to see events in the past or future, but there are no records of this ever having been successfully achieved. So far, scrying can only be done of events transpiring in real-time. This was first done with bubbles in 400 by Koichi; in later years, methods were developed to scry using other media, such as water or mirrors. (See also autoscry.) Scry-spoofing A special type of anti-scrying spell which was developed in 826 by Salucin. Unlike standard anti-scrying spells, which render an affected area, person, or object simply blank- anyone attempting to scry would simply see nothing in that space; scry-spoofing alters the appearance of the space being scried to appear as it would normally, while rendering specific persons or objects invisible and inaudible. The one potential failing of this spell lies in the fact that, if it is individuals and not a specific area who are affected by the spell, anyone who is scrying the area occupied by those individuals will still be able to see and hear other people, animals, or objects, which may avoid or interact with those affected by the scry-spoofing spell, thus alerting scriers to the fact that the apparently empty space is not actually empty. When Durell Turner secretly contacted the elves in 901 and learned of this spell, he suggested they use it to hide their location from Drag and his allies, who would likely attempt to find and contact them, sometime in the next couple of years. He turned out to be right, and so Drag was frustrated in his eventual efforts to locate the elves and hopefully persuade them to join the Protestant Movement. However, in 912, Durell would speculate that Drag may have had secret dealings of his own with some elf or elves who were opposed to the Coming of the Order, and who may have provided him with the scry-spoofing spell sometime between the Battle of Elves' Ambush in Su'yet and the Battle of Triscot in Aut'yet. It is unknown whether there is any validity to this speculation. Scubspell A spell first used in 808 by Nyza, which allows the caster to breath underwater for extended periods, by surrounding their bodies with a large bubble of air (this bubble is actually a force field, not to be confused with bubbles). The spell also uses translocation to transfer exhaled carbon dioxide out of the bubble and fresh oxygen in. It's named after a very different piece of Earth technology called "SCUBA gear," which stands for "self-contained underwater breathing apparatus." The spell was instrumental in the work done by Eric and his team to create merfolk, and later to visit the merfolk in their natural environment. See also scubsuit. Self-destruct A spell developed by Rasche in 436, which includes proximity detection and identity recognition. If anyone unauthorized comes too near, or in some cases tampers with, a specific place or item, such presence or action triggers either a localized explosion (similar to that used in a land mine) or causes the object(s) in question to immolate itself. Soporific A spell which induces sleep without the use of drugs. First used in 305 by Taro. Summoning A spell which compels a creature to come to the summoner. It has rarely been attempted on intelligent beings (Men, Elves, Merfolk), with mixed results. Most are strong-willed enough to resist summoning, especially if they know or suspect such a spell has been cast upon them. However, depending on the strength of the summoning spell, resistance can cause suffering anywhere from a mild headache to permanent brain damage. For this reason, as well as a more general valuing of free will, magic-users have a strict rule against attempting to summon intelligent beings. It is only used on non-intelligent or semi-intelligent creatures, the most common being striders. This spell was first used in 275 (taught by spirits). On its own, the spell must be cast on a creature which is within the direct line of sight of the caster; however, in the same year it was learned, Murray thought to combine it with divination to create conjuration, the Land's first combination spell. Tactile telekinesis A spell which allows the caster, when he or she is in physical contact with an object or substance, to cause it to move with his or her mind, rather than exerting a physical force to move it. The spell was first used in 301 by Jess, who called it "earth alchemy". It was originally used for reshaping clay, as Jess was a potter before becoming a Sorreter. The technique seemed promising for any number of potential applications, at first; however, it was eventually determined that it required a higher degree of mental exertion, in most practical applications, than the degree of physical exertion that would be required to perform the same action. It has therefore largely been relegated to small-scale artistry (such as the pottery-making Jess first used to demonstrate the technique), and simple "parlor tricks." While most Sorreters don't even bother learning the technique, there are those who insist it still comes in handy in certain circumstances, and believe more practical applications for it may someday be developed. Thermal regulation A spell first used in 820, by Errol. Originally it allowed the caster to alter the temperature of water, changing its state between solid, liquid, and gaseous forms. Over the next few years, he adapted the spell to change the temperature of air, as well as other elements, though the range of temperature variation wasn't great enough to alter the physical states of most elements, as it did water. This spell led to the creation of a spell device called a refrigerator. Translocation (1) A spell first used in 766 by Cazzul, in combination with divination, which allows the caster to will an object to disappear from one place and reappear almost instantaneously in another. (The spell can also be used in reverse, without necessarily utilizing divination, to translocate an object away from the caster rather than to him or her.) The development of translocation redefined "conjuration"; in fact, the word "translocation" is now seldom used in its original sense, especially since a secondary application of translocation was later developed by Nyza. Translocation (2) A spell first used in 790 by Nyza, which took Cazzul's spell a step further. Rather than simply translocating inanimate objects, Nyza's spell involves the translocation of people or other living creatures. It requires intense concentration, a relatively large expenditure of mana, and a precise knowledge of the spatial coordinates to which they intend to translocate. It's also important to first scry their destination to make sure there is no one or nothing currently occupying those coordinates. This type of translocation is most commonly done on oneself; however, it is also possible to translocate one other person along with themselves, or, instead of moving to another place, to divine for and translocate a person from another place, to the general vicinity of the caster. (This is technically conjuration, though that term is never used when referring to the translocation of people, and seldom of animals.) To translocate more than oneself and one other person (or any creatures/objects of similar mass) at a time would require greater mana than most magic users would be able to call upon by themselves, though it's possible for multiple magic users to combine their powers to increase the maximum mass capacity being translocated (or a single caster might use a mana battery). While at first it may seem a simple enough matter to translocate oneself instead of an inanimate object, and not really necessitate a more complicated spell, the most vital distinction between this and the original variety of translocation spell is the fact that for the moment in which the caster is en route to his or her destination, they technically have no consciousness with which to cause their own reappearance. Nyza overcame this problem by imbuing a small inanimate object with the ability to recognize and reassemble a specific pattern (that is, the exact physical makeup of the person, persons, or objects being translocated, down to the molecular level), so that the object might serve as a beacon (a role originally played by the caster's own mind, using Cazzul's spell). She used a spell she had developed three years earlier, to place a field of intangibility around the beacon, then used Cazzul's spell to translocate the beacon to the intended destination. In the instant after translocating the beacon, she initiated the spell to translocate herself, and the beacon attracted her pattern to itself, and caused her to reform around it. The beacon may be located at this point within the caster's body; they will then generally conjure it into their hand or a pocket, purse, pack, etc., and immediately deactivate the object's intangibility spell. However, it is also possible for the caster's pattern to reform with the beacon outside the body- again, either in the hand or some place of storage- without needing to take the secondary step of translocating the object such a short additional distance. This requires slightly greater precision, but it saves a bit of time and mana. Either way, the entire process takes a few seconds at most (generally happening so quickly that anyone already at the destination wouldn't have time to see the beacon before the caster appeared). Most magic users who are capable of translocation can imprint an object with the necessary information very quickly, once they've mastered the technique, but there are those who require more time to create a beacon. Such people tend to carry an object with them which has been pre-enchanted with their own pattern data, so that they need only add a destination prior to translocating. Universal translation A spell first used by Drag in 879, co-developed by an I-dragon named Santos. The spell enhances the subword sense to more quickly understand new words, as well as vocalizations too simplistic to qualify as true language (such as the sounds made by animals). A more practical application was found for this spell during the Coming of the Order to encode t-mail bubbles to prevent hacking, by automatically translating the language spoken on one end into unintelligible gibberish, which could then be translated back into coherent speech only if someone listening on the other end had a bubble with the same encoding. The spell was also used during the coming by the Protestant Movement to enlist the help of unicorns. Variable gravitational field A spell first used in 839 by Coman, which allows the caster to consciously control the way gravity affects his or her own body, as well as objects enclosed within a force field. The simplest application of this spell is similar to that which allows flight using a properly enchanted object, but without a spell device. However, this is both unnecessary and impractical. But it can be used as part of a combination spell, such as intangibility, in which it is used to prevent the caster or other objects from falling through the ground. See also *spell devices *mythical creatures Category:Magic